


Magical Menagerie

by DorthyAnn (JenniferMarie)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Cats, M/M, Oblivious!Draco, Other assorted oddities, Owls, smitten!harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-10-27 03:20:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10800615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenniferMarie/pseuds/DorthyAnn
Summary: Convinced by Hermione to get a new pet, Harry goes to Magical Menagerie and finds it's now owned by Draco Malfoy who has changed since the war... in a good way, areallygood way.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I would very much appreciate kudos or comments if you like my story♡ keyboard smashes, strings of hearts and exclamation points are always great if you can't think of something to say... It takes very little to make me happy.  
> Thank you so much for reading and I hope you like it!!!

Harry looked up at the Magical Menagerie sign, his hand on the handle. He took a deep breath and closing his eyes briefly he heard Hermione's voice in his mind, that it had been long enough, that he could use a companion, that it was _time_. 

He pushed the handle down and stepped inside and froze. If he hadn't stood outside and stared up at the sign for several minutes he would have thought he was in the wrong shop. The Magical Menagerie in his mind was small and dark, crowded with cages and animals that filled the shop with ominous rustling and a rather unique and pervasive smell that clung to your clothes for hours. 

This shop was still small and yet somehow more open, with four large picture windows, two on either wall. They couldn't be real because there were shops on either side but they were there, large and filling the room with light. All of them were showing an idealic countryside with tall waving grass and long stone fences crumbling with age. Large glass tanks lined both walls with rats and rabbits, spiders and scorpions, and other magical creatures. Harry squinted into the glass enclosures which seemed distorted and slightly wrong. When he looked down through the top of one of the rat cages he realized why, they all had extension charms on them. It made small ten gallon cages into many meter's long enclosures filled with clean bedding, toys, food, and water.

The shop counter had been moved forward, nearly in the center of the room. Behind the dark polished wood counter- Harry blinked in disbelief, nearly tempted to rub his eyes- was Draco Malfoy. Malfoy? Draco? Definitely _Draco_.

He was... different. _Good_ different. He was wearing perfectly tailored grey trousers and a waistcoat in a paler grey over a cream coloured dress shirt, with long cuffs that fit tight to his forearms with a row of small pearl buttons. The gold chain from a pocket watch crossed his waist and matched the gold-rimmed glasses perched on the end of his nose as he leaned over a ledger filled with his neat, elegant handwriting. 

To top it all off, Draco had grown his hair out, still so blond it looked white, and tied it back with a pale blue ribbon. The long hair had fallen over his shoulder, reaching down to his collar bone. Unlike his Father's hair, which had been straight and thin, Draco's hair was thick and curled loosely like his Mother's. It, _all of it_ , made left Harry utterly transfixed.

“Can I help you find something in particular or are you simply browsing?” Draco asked in the even pleasant tone of shopkeepers everywhere.

Harry had entirely forgotten what he had come for.

The silence finally caused Draco to look up, the corner of one eye twitching as he recognized Harry. “My extension charms are all up to code and completely certified.” He said impatiently, reaching under the counter and pulling out a somewhat battered looking file which he irritably smacked down on the counter, “Here are all my permits. Completely up to date.”

Harry blinked and shook himself mentally, “Err, no I'm not- I'm not here to do any-” he waved his hand helplessly at the folder, “-I'm just... supposed to get a pet?”

Draco narrowed his eyes, not looking away from Harry as he swept the fold off his counter and slid it away underneath, “Supposed? Potter, either you are here as an auror in order to harass me, for which I have not earned such treatment,” he added acidly. “Or you are here to look at my animals.”

“The second one,” Harry said faintly.

“In that case, Potter. It is my job to inform you that you are not _supposed_ to _get_ a pet,” He said darkly, “You are _supposed_ to _want_ a pet. They are living creatures and deserve to be treated with love, respect and live full and enriched lives. If you are not prepared for that, I _won't_ be selling you anything.”

“Aren't you supposed to sell things in a shop?” Harry asked curiously.

Draco smiled smugly, “It's my shop and I can sell what I want to whom I want. If you want to kill a goldfish with your ineptitude go to a muggle pet shop.”

Harry couldn't help but feel quite impressed. He had heard the rumors but hadn't thought to connect them to the old Magical Menagerie from his youth but here it was, all true. The Malfoy heir, sole proprietor to a familiar and pet shop. Harry turned slowly on his heel to look around the small space with fresh eyes, so bright and clean and well cared for. 

“May I ask,” Draco said carefully, “why you're _supposed_ to get a pet?”

Harry turned back round to the counter, “I had Hedwig, my owl, in school and Hermione thinks I ought to get a new companion. That it would be good for me.”

Draco frowned faintly at the answer but didn't respond. He seemed to sizing Harry up for some invisible measurement Harry couldn't possibly imagine.

“Do you mind if I just look?” Harry asked, “Truthfully, I'm not sure I'm ready for a pet.”

He waited until Draco nodded and then turned to the nearest tank along the wall, peering down inside. It was a puffskein tank with seven or eight golden puffskeins all bundled into a poffle pile. Their tank looked quite like a hollowed out tree stump, filled with scraps of cloth and cotton tufts for them to sleep on. One puffskein opened it's large dark eyes to look up at Harry and then went back to sleep with a little purr-like hum.

“Puffskeins are a popular beginners pet,” Draco said behind him, “They evolved in a very harsh environment without a lot of resources so they're very hardy. Some people seem to think that this means they don't feel pain or hunger and thus are free to abuse the creatures as they see fit. It's, unfortunately, a very common belief.”

Harry looked over at the counter.

Draco continued, “They're highly social animals. I won't sell one by itself. They're much happier in pairs, or a proper poffle.” He sighed and added reluctantly, “I also carry pygmy puffs, colour changed upon request.”

“Not a fan of pygmy puffs?” Harry said.

Draco wrinkled his nose, “I'm not a fan of any kind of vanity breeding. Pygmy's are weaker and more prone to illness and yet parents are still of a mind to give them to children who treat them like toys rather than animals.”

Harry went around to a few other cage, rats of different colors and temperaments, more toads than any sane person could possibly want, and a variety of snakes and spiders. All of them came with a lesson about the creature in question and, inevitably, how badly wizards treated them. 

“I have to say,” Harry said, walking away from the last tank and back to the counter where Draco was perched on a rather tall stool, his arms elegantly folded on the counter top, “I never really imagined you being interested in magical creatures after all that fuss with Buckbeak, the hippogriff.”

Draco raised an eyebrow, “I was thirteen. Also, I can say without a single doubt in my mind that hippogriffs should have been taught to at least fifth years, preferably sixth years. Expecting thirteen-year-olds to be _polite_ without at least a lecture beforehand is madness.” 

Harry bristled, “Hagrid was just doing his best-!”

“Hagrid believes that any creature he fancied as a child, anyone else would as well.” Draco easily cut him off and shook his head slightly, “Don't bristle, Potter. He's becoming quite a good teacher. He would have become one sooner if he had been trained for even a few months instead of having to figure it out as he went. But that daft-” he broke off, briefly biting his bottom lip to stop himself from whatever he was going to say. 

Harry watched that brief flash of white tooth on pink lip, feeling a little thrill of desire that nearly distracted him from a very important detail. “You've seen Hagrid? Recently?”

He watching in further fascination as Draco coloured faintly right across the very tops of his cheeks.

“I guest lecture every other monday,” he said stiffly, lifting his chin. He took a deep breath and turned abruptly, “That's not why you're here. You hardly seem the type to want a small animal.” He gestured sharply with the flick of two fingers for Harry to follow and went to one of the two small doors in the wall behind the counter. He waited until Harry was right behind him before turning the round silver knob on the pale blue door.

Almost immediately a very large long haired black cat slipped out from the crack. It turned it's triangular head up towards Draco and made a single long _mreow_ that sounded something like a question mixed with an accusation.

“I do apologize for not letting you out sooner, Brynhildr,” Draco told the cat, “Would you watch the counter for me?”

Brynhildr swished her long tail and trotted over to the counter, leaping on top in one languid movement and laying in the center, facing the door with her ears twitched forward in interest.

“Come along, Potter,” Draco prompted impatiently.

Harry spun away from the counter and followed Draco into what would have been the size of a broom closet if not for extension charms making it into a quite large room. There were four windows, two showed the same countryside view of the main shop, but with large and busy bird feeders, the other two windows seemed to be underwater in a pool filled with bright colourful koi. All the windows had viewing platforms that could hold two or three cats. There were climbing platforms and shelves all around the walls, beds and cushions spread all across the floor. It seemed to be a cat paradise.

There were eight cats, three of which looked to be part kneazle by their larger size. All of the cats perked up as the door clicked closed behind them and rushed up to Draco, meowing plaintively and pawing at his trousers. A large grey and white striped shorthair who didn't get immediate results jumped up to a shelf and twitched a paw out at Draco's arm until a single claw managed to hook into his sleeve and Draco stepped closer to save his shirt.

“Must you, Grani?” Draco sighed, unhooking the claw.

Grani meowed triumphantly, taking the opportunity to butt his head against Draco's hand while it was close. 

A small black and white cat quickly jumped up to the shelf beside Grani in order to try and get some attention.

“What are you grinning about, Potter?” Draco muttered, looking mildly exasperated at the whole situation.

Harry hadn't even been aware of his own grin of delight. “Nothing really, I suppose,” he said quickly

“Go on,” Draco tried to wave the cats over toward Harry. He stepped over the winding cats around his legs and out of reach of the cats on the shelf, “He's the one here take a look at you.”

Harry dropped down onto his heels and held out his hand towards the cats, making the vague silly kissy noises everyone inexplicably makes to call cats. 

Draco said nothing, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms loosely. 

Grani dropped off the shelf with a heavy thump and made his way over pressing his head into Harry's hand. Two other cats managed to tear themselves away from Draco and wandered over, sniffing at him with interest. The tiniest, fluffiest siamese cat Harry had ever seen peeked round Draco's leg and then barreled into Harry, meowing at an impossible volume with wide blue eyes, demanding attention.

“Jonakr please contain yourself,” Draco chastised.

Grani wasn't happy with the competition and pressed into Harry more firmly, overbalancing him and causing him to sit abruptly on the ground with a startled laugh. A few other cats came over and Harry ended up with two cats in his lap as Grani and Jonakr vied for chin scratches. 

“So, no history lesson?” Harry asked, to break the silence.

Draco sighed, “Cats are cats, Potter. They're one of the few animals that witch and wizard kind have generally treated better than muggles with their silly superstitions.” He shifted and absently reached out to pet a fluffy orange cat on a shelf that was stretching out so far attention it was in danger of tumbling off. He looked at the orange cat with a contemplative air, the tips of two fingers gently scratching the cat's chin, “All my cats and kneazle mixes are rescues. They're all more intelligent than your average cat, longer lived and inclined to prefer magic users. A few, like Jonakr can enhance spells like a proper familiar but they'd need to be trained to have any constancy. There are three kneazle mixes, Sigi and Rerir are half, Grani is a quarter, I think.”

“What about the cat out front?” Harry asked.

“Brynhildr is half. She is also not for sale,” Draco said, glancing from the orange cat down at Harry and pinning him in place with slate grey eyes.

“Oh,” Harry said faintly and more than a little dumbstruck.

“Fallen in love, yet?” Draco asked.

Harry jumped. “I- What?” he croaked, his throat painfully dry.

“With a cat, Potter,” Draco swept the cats crowded around Harry with his eyes, “That is the purpose of your being here.”

Harry felt a flush of heat crawl up his neck and shook his head mutely, not willing to trust his voice. 

“Then we shall visit the aviary,” Draco said, holding his hand out to help Harry up.

Harry saw a flicker of hesitation cross Draco's face that made it all the way down his arm with a sudden tremble in the tips of his fingers. As Harry took his hand, the hesitation turned to relief though Draco was quick to mask it. Harry held onto Draco's hand a little longer than probably ought to have and felt himself flush with embarrassment again as Draco pulled free.

Draco led them out of the room, stopping any cats from following after with a simple, “Stay here, if you would be so kind.”

Brynhildr turned to look at them briefly before going back to watching the door. Draco went to the orange door beside the blue with a long bronze handle. As soon as the door was opened the sound of hooting filtered through, a wave of bittersweet nostalgia sweeping over Harry as he remembered his visits to the owlery back at Hogwarts. A large _crawk_ startled Harry out his revere with a flinch. 

Draco smirked faintly, “I have a few ravens and a crow. They're not as popular as owls but some of the older generations prefer them. And for some reason, teenagers with eyeliner and a penchant for black,” He stepped primly inside and gestured for Harry to follow, “Watch your step.”

At first glance Harry would have sworn he stepped into a forest but then his eyes made sense of what he was seeing, tree trunks filled with hollows and long branches scattered against the walls painted a deep green. A small fountain in the corner of the room tumbled down an artificial rock fall and into a shallow pool. The floor looked like the same wood board but felt soft and spongy like a bed of moss underfoot. In addition to the branches for perching on, a number of perches were scattered around the room at human height.

Everywhere there were owls of all shapes and sizes, their large yellow and orange eyes dilating in the light as they woke to get a look at their visitors. A large eagle owl flew down to a perch beside Draco. A smaller barn owl landed on his shoulder, their wings briefly held out for balance and then tucked away so that the owl could groom Draco's hair with their beak. It wasn't long before a few other owls flew down to surround Draco.

Draco turned his head to the barn owl, “Not right now, Enide.”

Enide hooted mournfully but ceased her grooming.

Harry was grinning again and quickly turned away before Draco could glare at him.

There were two ravens, perched in the corner and calling to one another like a pair of old biddies sharing juicy gossip. A single crow was hanging out by water pool, Their black feathers splattered with white as if they had been flicked with a paint brush.

“Is that done with magic?” Harry pointed at the black and white crow.

Draco followed his gaze, “No. Blanchefleur has vitiligo, it's a genetic condition that causes a loss of melanin, most animals can have it, humans as well. It's a superficial condition.”

“It's lovely,” Harry said.

Draco raised an eyebrow, “A crow, Potter?”

Harry watched as the crow jumped into the shallow end of the pool, splashing water up in a fine spray and spreading their feathers out. “Not for me, I think,” he said absently. Though he couldn't quite shake the idea that the beautiful bird would be absolutely perfect for someone else.

“Probably for the best,” Draco said, “Several people have taken an interest in Blanchefleur but they've never shown interest in anyone.” For there he began telling Harry about the different owls and which breeds were best suited for what kind of delivery.

There was a loud, tiny hoot and Draco expression changed to one of resigned annoyance. Above them a tiny scops owl, the same kind as Ron's Pigwidgeon, bounced out of a small tree hollow and flew down, landing on top of Draco's head with the happiest hoot Harry had ever heard.

Harry stared

“Laugh and get it over with,” Draco said flatly.

It was so ridiculously adorable Harry wasn't sure he still retained the ability of speech.

Draco reached a hand up, with one finger extended which the little owl jumped onto allowing Draco to bring it down to eye level so he could give it a very stern expression, “What have I told you about landing on heads, Merlin?”

Merlin puffed his feathers and hooted softly, looking sulky.

“Indeed,” Draco raised an eyebrow. 

“You named him _Merlin_?” Harry said faintly.

The tiny owl turn at the sound of his name and lifted his beak at almost the exact same time that Draco lifted his chin with an imperious, “Yes. So?”

Harry laughed before he could even think to stop himself, biting his lip to try and stop it and being completely unable as both bird and man glared at him with identical expressions.

“Must you,” Draco sighed loudly and deliberately. He took his pocket watch out and opened it, frowning at the time it showed.

“What time is it?” Harry asked breathlessly, looking at a pair brown owls in order to keep a straight face.

“I'm normally closed by now,” Draco said pointedly, closing the pocket watch with a definite click.

“You should have kicked me out if it was getting that late,” Harry said, hurrying back to the door but hesitating to open it himself.

“You have no self-awareness,” Draco said, shooing Enide off his shoulder and back up to the trees. He set Merlin on a small perch and fussing with his shirt and hair as he went to the door, almost closing it on Harry with a flick of magic when he didn't move fast enough.

Brynhildr stood and stretched with a yawn as Draco went to the counter, pulling out two small pamphlets and pushing them into Harry's hands, “Lists of Kneazle and Crup breeders I trust to treat their animals well.”

“One of these names is Celestina Warbeck,” Harry said as he skimmed the lists.

Draco ran his hand over Brynhildr's back, scratching along her spine so that she began to purr faintly, “She's a good Crup breeder. More than can be said for her music.”

“True,” Harry laughed, turning the pamphlets over and then stuffing them into his back pocket. “So...” He took a few steps towards the door and hesitated. He plucked at his shirt and asked impulsively, “I feel bad about keeping you late so maybe I could I take you to dinner?”

“No need,” Draco said distractedly, his eyes scanning at the shelves under his counter for something, “I have a lot to tend to,” He glanced up briefly and pasted a friendly customer service smile on his face, “I open at ten if you should change your mind.”

“Oh, right,” Harry started to sigh and stifled it, pushing his hand through his hair, “Well, thanks,” he said lamely, stepping outside to the soft mocking tone of the bell over the door chiming his retreat.

It was getting dark already. Harry took a deep breath to temper his disappointment. It had been rather spur of the moment and he could hardly expect- Harry sighed and scratched the back of his neck- and It _had_ been years since they had spoken. Best to forget and move on before he was late for dinner with Ron and Hermione. 


	2. Chapter 2

Harry landed right inside the door of Ron and Hermione's small shared flat. Calling out, “Sorry, I'm late!” as he shucked his work boots. 

Hermione came out of the kitchen and engulfed him in a hug, “Harry, I was starting to worry! Ron just took the shepherds pie out of the oven.”

Harry smiled, he loved Ron's cooking and it only got better every time he tried it. It seemed like out of all the Weasley children, Ron was the one to have inherited Molly's knack for cooking.

“Hey, mate!” Ron said, floating out the steaming shepherd's pie and a basket of buns, giving Harry a quick one-armed hug and pulling him along with the food to the small square table.

Conversation fell to the wayside as they all sat and the food was dished out still steaming and too hot to eat.

“Why were you late?” Hermione asked, “You're still doing foot patrol so it wouldn't be work.”

“Could be with the amount of paperwork we have to do,” Ron bemoaned dramatically.

Harry nodded and picked up his fork, toyed with it between his finger and thumb. He was tempted not to tell them. The day had almost felt like a dream he wanted to keep all to himself, even if he had been turned down at the end. 

Harry told them anyway, “I was at Magical Menagerie.”

“Oh!” Hermione said excitedly, “You finally went? Did you pick out something?”

“Not this again,” Ron groaned faintly, “I mean, nothing against pets but...”

Hermione rolled her eyes, “Just because you've had a few bad experiences-” 

“A few? _A few?_ ” Ron's eyebrows shot up in disbelief, “My first pet turned out to be a murderous rogue animagus!”

Hermione grimaced.

“My next was an owl so annoying other owls loathed him and he was so small he was utterly useless!” Ron went on.

“Well, he is an inter-city mail owl,” Harry said, “So he really wasn't suited for Hogwarts or Burrow, they're too far away.”

Ron and Hermione stared at him.

“Where'd that come from?” Hermione asked in surprise.

“That's the thing,” Harry said, “from Draco Malfoy.”

“What!?” Ron blurted.

Hermione blinked rapidly, leaning back slightly in her chair.

“He owns Magical Menagerie now and he's-” Harry floundered slightly, spreading his hands to try and encompass how mind-blowing the whole experience had been, “-Everything's different. There's light from big windows and all the little wire cages have been replaced with muggle glass tanks with extension charms on and he has rooms for the cats and an aviary full of stuff and _and_ he's- he's- He knows everything about the animals and making them comfortable and happy and wouldn't sell a creature unless he knew it would be treated well-”

Ron held up as hand to stop him, shaking his head, “ _Malfoy_? Poncy arsehole Malfoy?”

Harry nodded, “Apparently, he lectures up at Hogwarts once a fortnight with _Hagrid_.”

Ron sounded like he was in pain, “ _Ferret-face_? Helping Hagrid? After the whole Buckbeak thing?” 

“I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't seen it myself,” Harry said with a rueful smile, “It's really something and... animals really like him. It's hilarious the way they flock to him and the way he talks to them like they're people...” he trailed off not even sure how he could explain.

“An aviary and a room for the cats.” Hermione repeated thoughtfully, “and the tanks with extensions charms, how many do you think he has?”

“Thirty or so, I'd reckon,” Harry guessed, “Has a massive folder of permits for them.”

Hermione tapped her chin thoughtfully, “He'd have to. They can make a mess if not handled properly, especially that many and so close to muggle London.”

“This is too much for me,” Ron said, taking a huge bite of pie and huffed frantically when it was too hot.

Hermione's brow was furrowed, “I just don't understand why. The Malfoy's didn't lose much in war reparations, certainly not enough to ever need to work. He doesn't need the money so why does he care?”

Harry set his fork down, “Maybe he just understands what it's like living in a cage.”

Hermione blinked.

“Or maybe he just likes animals,” Harry shrugged, tearing a roll open and spreading butter on the warm bread.

Hermione looked down at her plate, her mouth pinched in a way that reminded Harry of McGonagall.

Ron paused his fork halfway to his mouth, “It's a tricky thing, you know?” He looked from Harry to Hermione and realizing they weren't following, he elaborated, “Realizing Malfoy's a real person. He's always seemed a bit...” he squinted, “like a cheesy comic book villain.”

Hermione couldn't help but start smiling, “Do you remember when we snuck out for that midnight duel?” 

Ron snorted into his glass of water.

Harry grinned, “Or when he climbed a tree just to mock me?”

Hermione laughed.

Ron pointed at her with his fork, “When you walloped him and he ran off with his tail between his legs?”

“And the badges!” Harry snickered, “They made me so mad but they were just ridiculous!”

“There were at least a hundred,” Hermione gasped, “Can you imagine how long it took him to make them all?!”

They all looked at one another and burst out laughing, settling into snickers and easy smiles. Ron had turned red as his hair and Hermione brushing tears of laughter from the corner of her eyes. 

Harry's smile turned nostalgic and distant, “That would have nice, I think... Growing up with stupid fights and petty arguments and not what it all became.”

Hermione echoed his smile, “We all had to grow up far too fast.” She sighed and wiped her eyes again.

Harry ruffled his hand through his hair.

“Come on,” Ron groused lightheartedly, “are you lot going to eat or what?” 

“Yeah alright, mate,” Harry laughed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Crookshanks sleeping all stretched out on a threadbare cushion. The old cat sighed in his sleep and rolled onto his back, curling into a half moon. 

Harry blinked as a thought entered his mind and slowly grew. He was afraid to even breath lest he lose hold of it. He ducked his head and ate a few bites of the pie before venturing, “Have you ever thought about getting another cat?”

Hermione narrowed her eyes, “You are not subtle at all, Harold James Potter. What are you up to?”

Harry widened his eyes, the picture of innocence, “There's just a cat I think you ought to meet.”

“I'm in,” Ron said round a mouthful of bun and potatoe.

“You are?” Hermione smiled incredulously.

Ron nodded, “See Malfoy tending shop with all his wee birdies? That's an image to keep a man warm on a cold winter night.”

“You're awful, Ron,” Hermione said.

“So you'll come?” Harry asked.

Hermione sounded resigned but smiled faintly, “Yes, we'll come.”


	3. Chapter 3

The bell over the chimed as Harry stepped inside and looked around, he had made sure to come a good fifteen minutes before he expected Ron and Hermione to show. Outside the weather had been clear and slightly warm but the large windows inside showed their distant countryside with an overcast sky and a gentle drizzle of rain. The counter was empty except for Brynhildr who slowly opened her golden eyes to stare at him in annoyance.

“Err...” Harry stepped closer to the counter feeling a right berk as he asked the black cat, “Is Draco here?”

She blinked slowly and sat up with a yawn, turning half around and letting out a single very loud _meourw_ at the aviary door. 

“I'll be right there!” came Draco's muffled return.

Harry stared at Brynhildr.

Brynhildr stared at Harry.

He held out his hand and she politely sniffed his fingertips, then sneezed and looked annoyed at him.

“Sorry,” Harry said quietly, only wondering why he'd said it after he'd pulled his hand back.

The aviary door opened revealing a harried looking Draco, his hair looked to have been thoroughly owl groomed from both shoulders. Merlin was still perched on top of his head looking pleased with himself. 

“Uh...There's-” Harry pointed up at the top of his own head before Draco could close the door.

Draco started to look up, jostling Merlin so that he hooted in annoyance. He closed his eyes slowly like he was doing his utmost not to lose his temper. “Merlin,” he ground out with far more patience than Harry would have had, “go inside.”

The little owl hooted defiantly, gripping tighter to Draco's hair.

Draco clenched his jaw, “ _Now_.”

Merlin huddled slightly and then quickly flew back through. Draco closed the door and sagged against the wood. 

“Rough day?” Harry asked rocking back on his heels.

“Mordred is molting and it makes him such an irritable wanker,” Draco said rubbing his temple. He started suddenly as he realized who he was talking to, standing up and perfunctorily straightening his waistcoat, a pale blue this time, grey shirt and black trousers, as he walked over to the counter. “Have you decided to get an animal after all?” Draco asked, brushing a few stray strands of hair behind his ear. Harry couldn't help noticing the faint flush on the top of his cheeks. 

“Potter?” Draco asked, raising an eyebrow with a faint smirk.

Harry jumped and felt his face get warm, “I- Erm, no it's-” he licked his lips nervously and looked down at his hands gripping the edge of the counter top, “There's a cat I think would be a good fit for Ron and Hermione so they're coming by in a bit.” He looked up to see Draco's reaction.

Draco stiffened, “...Is that so.”

Harry nodded, “I thought I ought to warn you beforehand.”

Draco took a deep slow breath in, “Right,” he said to himself. He took his wand out from his sleeve and then pulled the ribbon free from his hair, cream coloured so it nearly blended in. His hair shook loose in waves, ringing around his cheeks, looking soft as anything. Draco aimed his wand at himself and murmured a string of charms that combed his hair smooth, pulled it back and then neatly retied the ribbon. He touched the sides of his hair very carefully, “How does it look?”

“You-”

“Why am I asking you?” he tsked to himself, “You probably don't even own a comb much less know how to use one.”

“I have eyes,” Harry said irritably.

Draco hesitated for just a half a second before saying, “Well then?” He lifted his chin and turned to show Harry his profile.

Harry felt his irritation eclipsed by embarrassment. He cleared his throat, gaze flicking down to his hands again, his voice coming out a little too soft, “You look good.”

Draco was flushing again when Harry dared to look at him.

Draco frowned faintly and let out a little huff, “Which cat?”

“What?” Harry blinked.

“Which cat are they coming in to look at?” he elaborated.

Harry felt disappointed somehow and wanted to shake himself, “Oh. The grey one. Garni? Grainy?”

“Grani.” Draco corrected with a faint smile, “Really, Potter, it's-”

The bell over the door chimed and Harry turned to find Hermione, alone and looking surprised to see Harry. The surprise didn't last long as her natural curiosity took hold and she took in all the changes in the small shop. When she finished her initial perusal and turned back toward them she was smiling, her eyes shining with excitement and approval. “I thought I'd come early and have a look around but it seems you've already beat me to it, Harry,” she touched his arm briefly as she walked past him to the two doors behind the counter, “These are for the cats and birds?” she asked, “May I take a quick look?”

Hermione hardly waited for Draco's nod before briefly opening each door and sticking her head inside. “Wonderful,” She said breathlessly and she stepped back, closing the aviary door. She turned to Draco and repeated, “ _Wonderful_.” She took a bracing breath, her back going ramrod straight, and then held out her hand to Draco, fingers straight and stiff like she was closing a business deal.

Harry saw Draco glance at him, his eyes a little too wide with uncertainty as he slowly reached out his own hand and they shook hands briefly.

“I can't say I understand or deserve what just happened,” Draco said carefully, “but I am grateful nonetheless. I was fairly certain I was in for a broken nose at our next meeting.”

Hermione had started looking around the room again, holding her hair back as she peered through the tops of the tanks lining the walls. “If you hadn't changed then maybe,” she flashed him a brief reassuring smile, “but you have. You certainly won Harry over and now I see why.” She lingered over one of the puffskein tanks. 

Harry felt himself flush and refused to look over.

“Really,” Draco said, and Harry could hear the raised eyebrow in his tone.

“I'm primarily working on werewolf and house-elf rights now but I've drafted a few proposals that I hope to curb animal cruelty, provided I can get someone on the Wizgamot to even take a look at them.”

Draco's eyes glittered with interest and soon he and Hermione were in a heated conversation about control versus protection and doing what was best for the animal rather than just what made the wizarding community happiest. Harry leaned against the counter next to Brynhildr and she tolerated him petting her.

“You should start with the mail owl breeder used by the ministry,” Draco said hands braced on the counter, “There's never been competition for the job and the breeder doesn't treat their animals well, cramped cages, poor food, inbreeding, they have shorter lifespans as well.”

On the other side of the counter Hermione pulled a notepad and pen from her pocket and began taking notes, “I'll look into it in my spare time,” she said absently.

Harry snorted, “ _Spare time_ , sure.”

Hermione elbowed him sharply.

“You had a cat back in school didn't you, Ms. Granger?” Draco asked, “A large orange cat?”

Hermione nodded as she stuffed her notebook away, “Crookshanks. He's getting older now. That's why I agreed to come look. I do worry that I'll be too busy for a younger cat though.”

“Ron will have time though,” Harry said.

Hermione laughed, “Ron doesn't really like cats.”

“He doesn't like Crookshanks. He'll like Grani. I think they'll fit together,” Harry said still petting Brynhildr. He looked up when it went quiet, “What?” 

“For Ron? Really? He's never shown interest in having a pet.” Hermione's brow furrowed.

Harry said, “He's never picked one out on his own either. Scabbers and Pig were both given to him.”

“And you've picked out this one,” Draco said pointedly.

Harry glared at him briefly, “I'm not going to do anything. If they like each other then great and if not, then that's fine too. It was just an idea I had.”

The bell chimed gently as Ron stepped inside, a ragged whistle fading on his lips, “Am I late?” he asked.

“We were early,” Hermione said and turned to Draco, “Shall we?”

Draco nodded and went to the blue cat door and stepped inside. He told the cats, “Best behavior please, if you can manage,” as he held the door open for the three of them to file in. 

Harry stepped out the way to the back corner, attracting the attention of a few of the cats from the day before.

Hermione gravitated to one of the windows filled with koi, “This is amazing! We should put a window like this for Crookshanks!”

Ron was in last and Draco closed the door behind him, leaning back against the frame silently.

“Cor this is a lot of cats,” Ron said looking around.

Grani had jumped down from a high shelf zeroing in on Draco but froze in his tracks when Ron came in. His eyes fixed on Ron and when Ron looked at him, his tail and the fur along his spine puffed up. They stared at each other.

“What's with you?” Ron asked.

Grani very slowly walked closer to Ron, every move stiff until he reached his legs and began sniffing them in earnest, occasionally glancing up at Ron and slowly going from startled to interested. Ron stayed still, mostly out of confusion, until Grani stretched up, hooking his claws into Ron's jeans like he was trying to pull him down and let out a single loud _meow_.

Ron dropped down onto his knees, holding out a hand, “You're a strange one aren't you?”

Grani eagerly pressed against Ron's hand and then his knees, legs, winding around his back and around the other side, clumsily climbing onto Ron's lap and pressing his cheek against Ron's chest, all the time working up a purr so loud it filled the room. Ron grinned hugely, running his hand over Grani's back, all other cats forgotten.

Hermione mouth was an O of surprise that was quickly replaced with an excited smile as she went over and sat next to Ron, leaning against his arm. Together the two of them talked in quiet whispers as Grani stayed fixed to Ron's lap demanding his attention.

Draco silently crossed the room to Harry, four cats in his wake, running ahead and close enough behind to trip him up but somehow never quite managing it. He stood by Harry's shoulder, cats quickly jumping up the shelves and climbing trees to get close. Draco kept his voice quiet so it wouldn't carry, “I hate to admit it, Potter, but I am very slightly impressed.”

“Very slightly?” Harry repeated, raising his eyebrows with a faint smile.

Draco said, “Very, _very_ slightly.”

“Got to be careful with all that praise. I wouldn't want to get a big head,” Harry said sarcastically.

“We certainly can't have that,” Draco smirked.

The little siamese meowed loudly at being ignored and was rewarded with a scratch under the chin and a fond smile from Draco that made Harry's chest feel tight. He internally chastised himself for feeling jealous over a cat. Especially, when the bloke in question wanted nothing to do with him.

“We'll take him,” Hermione's voice broke through Harry revere.

Draco went over to them and soon they were all out in the main shop again, Grani hanging over Ron's shoulder as he purred so hard you could see the vibrations across the cat's skin. Draco transfigured a cat wand with feathers into a basket to carry Grani home. Ron was so keen on the idea of the cat wands he bought three others and paid for everything himself. He carried Grani's basket tight to his chest, talking into the wicker weave in a comforting, reassuring tone as Hermione held the door open for him and Harry followed them out onto the street.

Hermione stopped Harry with a touch on the arm, “We're headed to the nearest floo. You should stay.”

“Stay?” Harry's brow furrowed.

“Of course,” Hermione huffed, patting his arm, “You could have told us you fancied him.”

“He does?” Ron looked up from his basket.

“I do?” Harry said faintly.

Hermione rolled her eyes, “Yes. You're terribly obvious when you like someone, Harry.”

Harry felt himself flush, “I am?” 

“It's true, mate,” Ron said.

Harry tugged at the bottom of his shirt, “You aren't bothered?”

Ron and Hermione looked at one another.

“It's weird,” Ron shrugged.

Hermione looked thoughtful, “It makes sense in a way.”

Ron added, “but he's really fit, in a victorian ponce sort of way.”

Harry's eyebrows shot up.

“Do I need to be jealous?” Hermione teased with a laugh.

Ron glared at them, “ _No_. It was just an observation. I'm going home before the transfiguration wears off.” He stomped off down the street.

Hermione laughed and gave Harry's arm a quick squeeze. “Good luck! Tell us how it goes!” she said, running after Ron.

Harry made his way back into the shop still flushed with embarrassment and certain he'd need a lot more than luck.

“Did you forget something?” Draco asked. He had his ledger out and was carefully writing in Ron's purchase.

Harry hesitated, “Err, I forgot to say goodbye to Brynhildr?”

The black cat sat up with interest, sweeping her fluffy tail back and forth over the edge of the counter.

Draco gave him a curious look, “Well, go on then. She's still not for sale, no matter how fond you are of her.”

“Right,” Harry said faintly, walking up to the counter and carefully petting Brynhildr. He always felt he was just on the edge of getting bitten by the prim cat with her sharp eyes. He chewed his bottom lip absently, twitching his hand away when Brynhildr's ears flattened. 

Draco smirked, "The great hero. The auroring must be going well." He added bitterly, "Catching dark wizards and other assorted evildoers."

Harry shrugged, "If they're going to do a raid or arrest a suspect that's a good duelist they still call me in. Not very often though."

Draco narrowed his eyes briefly, "The great Harry Potter, rescuing kneazles from trees?"

Harry frowned at the moniker, “Not very often. I mean it's only the kids that haven't learned levitation spells yet.”

Draco looked mildly horrified, "I was _joking_."

Harry sighed and brushed his hand through his hair, "I'm not good at the big investigations or stakeouts. There's a lot of waiting, a lot of figuring things out and..." he chewed on his lip, looking down at his hands, "It reminds me too much of the war. We spent so much time waiting, hiding, trying to solve this _thing_ and time was running out, people dying with every minute wasted... Fuck, " He tsked to himself, "Sorry, no one likes talking about the war. It boils down to this: I can do it and I'm pretty good at it, but it's not good for me."

Draco shifted his weight looking uncomfortable, "What _are_ you doing then?"

"Oh," Harry smiled faintly, "I'm one of three officers that patrol Hogsmeade. It's nice. Everyone there knows me. I don't get treated like well,” he shrugged and said sarcastically, " _the great hero_."

Draco raised an eyebrow, "I can't imagine there's much to do."

"Most days it's pretty quiet. It when Hogwarts has Hogsmead weekend that things get hectic," Harry said.

“Such as?" Draco said, leaning forward slightly and resting his elbows on the counter, his ledger forgotten.

Harry nodded and rubbed the back of his neck, "Fights, rowdiness with broken windows and what-have-you. The occasional miscast spell can cause some trouble. Shoplifting."

"What do you do with a student if they're caught stealing?" Draco asked.

Harry's brow furrowed, "...The first time, I give them a lecture, have them apologize to the shopkeeper. If it happens again, I talk with Headmistress. Third time, I talk with their parents. I wish that fixed everything but when it reaches a third time, the kid is either acting out or poor and the parents can't do anything to help one and might be the cause of the other. I do what I can and get Witch and Wizard Welfare involved if I have to." Harry realized he was rambling and stopped himself. When he looked up he found Draco watching him with an expression on his face Harry couldn't read.

“Still playing the hero,” Draco said with what was probably intended to be a smirk but mainly looked like a smile. He tried to hide it by quickly looking back down at his ledger, returning to filling in the newest entry. 

Harry felt his heart jump in his chest and suppressed the urge to curse in frustration. Despite his misgivings, Harry hazarded, “There's this nice Indian place just down the way if you-”

“I've been there I think. On the corner? Not sure I would ever go again.” Draco said closing his ledger with a snap and putting it back under the counter.

Harry sighed and pushed his hands into his pockets and turned to the door, “I'll be off then.”

He hoped, rather hopelessly he would admit, that Draco would call him back or even offer the same generic shopkeeper line he had last time, but Draco hardly hummed a vague goodbye as Harry left.

Harry scuffed his shoe against the dark cobbles outside and decided it would be best if he didn't come back.


	4. Chapter 4

“Harry!!” Ginny shouted, sprinting over to him and throwing her arms around his waist in a hug.

Harry did his best not to groan as Ginny nearly squeezed the life out of him, “Geez Ginny, I swear you're stronger every time I see you.”

She let him go with a grin and pushed her sleeve back to flex an impressive bicep, “Chaser drills! I've got to be on top form if I'm going to get onto first string this season!”

“I'm sure you will,” Harry said.

She grinned with absolute confidence, “Yeah, I will!” She grabbed his arm and pulled him down the street, “Now come on, we haven't had lunch out in forever.”

They bickered good naturally about cafes and settled on one they both liked well enough. Over tea and sandwiches they caught up; Ginny about training with the Harpies and Harry about his foot patrols of Hogsmead.

“Now,” Ginny said as they left the cafe, “I've been to see Ron and he won't shut up about Andrew, that new cat of his.”

Harry laughed, “He named him _Andrew_?” 

“After the Cannon's _star_ -” she aggressively finger quoted, “-seeker. Not the point! I've been thinking of getting a pet now that I've got my own place.”

“I thought you were sharing a place with a bunch of other Harpies?” Harry said, letting himself be led, already filled with prophetic dread at their destination.

Ginny waved her hand flippantly, “Details. The other girls said they would be alright with me getting a pet, no rats or snakes though, and I thought you might have a perfect match for me too.”

“I didn't really-”

“Hermione told me everything.” Ginny cut him off, “Can't hurt to look. Besides, it's hard to imagine Ferret face being good enough for you.”

Harry groaned, “She told you that too?”

“I can keep a secret,” Ginny said with a cheeky smile, taking him into an alley to apparate. A few minutes later they were walking into Magical Menagerie, a place Harry had absolutely decided not to come back to just days ago. And Draco was wearing his reading glasses, they had slipped down to the end of his nose, an old leather bound book floated in front of him at eye level.

Ginny nearly ran to the center of the shop and spun around to face him, her arms stretched wide, “Ok! What's the perfect pet for me?”

Over her shoulder Harry saw Draco quickly mark his place and tuck the book out of sight under the counter, his movements stiff.

Harry pushed his glasses up to briefly squeeze the bridge of his nose. He wanted to groan. He _wanted_ to turn around and walk right back out of the door but he supposed that wasn't an option. Not a good option, anyway. If only Draco Malfoy hadn't turned out so bloody _gorgeous_ this wouldn't be so difficult.

“A date at the pet shop, is it?” Draco said with a faint sneer.

Harry's brow furrowed at the sudden hostility and with it came a faint surge of hopefulness.

He shook his head but his _no_ was drowned out by Ginny laughing so hard she had to grab hold of the counter to keep upright.

Draco watched her with an expression that suggested he thought she had lost her mind.

“I'm not dating _him_ ,” Ginny said in mock horror, jabbing a finger in Harry's direction, “Merlin, do you believe everything they print in the Prophet? The only things that aren't made up garbage are the photos!”

Harry felt flushed. It seemed to him that he spent half his time in this shop embarrassed.

Ginny put a hand to Harry's back, pushing him forward towards the counter with the most unsubtle grin Harry had ever seen, “Harry is _very_ single.”

Harry protested, “Ginny, please-”

“ _Harry_ -” she raised her voice, “is a very _single_ , very _bisexual_ young man.”

“Ok!” Harry spun around, grabbing Ginny by both arms with a forced cheerfulness that was cracked on the edges, “Alright!” He guided her to the cat room, opening the door and pulling her into the room, “Let's get you a pet!” 

Ginny pulled her arm free with a tsk of disappointment, “You suck,” she punched his shoulder and turned to cats who all looked a little started by their loud sudden arrival. “So a cat you think?”

Harry rubbed his shoulder with a frown and pointed, “That one there. The siamese.”

Ginny melted a little. “Aww cute~” She walking over to the cat tree where the little cat was sitting, head tilted sideways with interest. 

Harry stiffened slightly as he heard Draco walk in behind him, closing the door behind himself.

“I call her Jonakr, but you can pick any name you like,” Draco said.

Ginny scratched Jonakr's cheeks, “I love her already.”

Harry looked down as he felt the warm pressure of a cat pressing against his leg. He watched as the orange cat was replaced by a black and white cat in the wake of Draco's brown oxfords as he stepped beside Harry.

“Jonakr doesn't like to be picked up and held,” Draco said.

“So?” Ginny's nose wrinkled.

Jonakr eyes fixed on Ginny's shoulder, she crouched and then jumped onto it in one smooth motion.

“Whoa!” Ginny said with a laugh.

Draco said, “Some people find that untenable. She's quite a lovely cat. She's magically inclined and can enhance spellcasting, you'd have to train her though.”

Ginny's eyes got huge, “She's a proper witches cat?!”

Jonakr walked across Ginny's shoulder, awkwardly turned around and then put her front paws on top of her head and jumped atop that as well. Harry held his breath as woman and cat wobbled slightly to find the perfect balance but no claws were dug in.

“Do you think I could teach her to ride on a broom with me?” Ginny asked.

A single eyebrow twitching up was Draco's only expression as he said flatly, “I dare say if any person or cat were capable it would be the two of you.”

Harry grinned.

Ginny laughed and Jonakr carefully jumped back down on her shoulder with a happy meow.

“What are you grinning about, Potter?” Draco asked.

Harry shrugged, “It was funny.”

Draco fought down a smile, looking incredibly pleased with himself.

“I'm going to call her Jona,” Ginny said, carefully walking over to them, on hand on Jona's side to help keep her balanced.

Draco nodded and quickly stepped over to the door, holding it open for all of them to go through, “Have you ever owned a cat before?” he asked.

Ginny shook her head as she went round to the front of the counter, “No, but I've catsit for Ron and Hermione.”

“Well that's something at least,” Draco said before launching into a list of things she'd need to buy and do.

Harry was left with nothing to do but stare. He could have stared around the shop but preferred Draco instead. Draco put on his reading glasses again and Harry watched them slowly slip down to the end of his nose. He tried to remember how Draco had looked in school, pointy and too thin, especially after his growth spurt and the sixth year thing had made him look almost half dead. He had certainly grown into his features. His eyelashes almost looked white and had his lips always been that soft pink colour?

“ -rry. _Harry_. Harry!” Ginny shouted right in his ear.

“Shit!” Harry jumped, flushing madly. He glared at Ginny, rubbing his ear, “Was that really necessary?”

“Merlin you are in deep, aren't you?” she grinned cheekily.

“Fuck off,” Harry muttered.

“Will do. I'm headed home,” Ginny said filling her pockets with shrunk down cat supplies and gathering a meowing basket in her arms. She took a few steps backward towards the door and waggled her eyebrows adding, “Have fun.”

Harry flipped her the two finger salute.

Ginny made a face at him. Pushing the door open with her back she called, “Thanks, Malfoy! Take good care of our beautiful boy!”

The sound of the bell chiming was the only sound left in the shop as the door shut and that soon fell into an uneasy silence.

“What in the world did she mean by that?” Draco said.

Harry didn't answer. Harry had let his whole body sink under the weight of his embarrassment and was crouched down, leaning against the counter.

“Potter?” Draco called, stepping around the counter, “Did you drop something?”

_My dignity_ , Harry thought, except he hadn't dropped it, his friends had smacked it out of his hands and were playing keep away. 

“It's fine,” He pulled himself up and dusted himself off absently, more for something to do than for any sort of reason. 

One of the windows caught his eyes. The skies were filled with the sort of clouds you only saw in paintings, moving languidly through a long blue horizon, below wind whipped through the tall green grass and in the distance a herd of sheep, little white dots on green, grazed across a hilltop.

“Where is that?” Harry asked, nodding to the view.

Draco leaned back against the counter beside Harry. He stared at the view for a long time before answering. “They're the fields behind the Manor,” He looked over at Harry to see his reaction.

“Lovely,” Harry said for lack of anything better to say.

Draco sighed, “I would play in them as a child, there's a forest- It seemed like a forest, it's actually a rather small copse of trees.”

Harry's brow furrowed, “With your mum?” Draco shook his head slightly, “Friends? Like Pansy?” he shook his head again and Harry frowned, “By yourself?”

Draco crossed his arms, his chin lifting slightly, “A house elf kept an eye on me, I was in no danger.”

“Seems lonely,” Harry said.

Draco let out a breath that seemed to take all the tension out of his body at the same time, “It was,” he said quietly, his eyes fixed on the window, “Theo was the first child I met, I was five. I met Pansy, Greg, and Vincent a year or so later. They might come over once a week, sometimes twice...” he frowned to himself, “but there would be stretches, a week or longer, where it was just the three of us alone in that massive house. It would get to where it felt like we were the only people in the whole world and when I went out to play, it was just me. Alone.” 

Draco turned away abruptly and walk back round to his side of the counter as if needing the barrier between them. He spread his hands over the immaculate wood surface, and said in a vaguely detached professional tone, “Does that answer your question?”

Harry floundered at the sudden tone shift managing a nod. It struck him that Draco, alone in those endless grass fields feeling like the only person left in the world, felt very similar to this small quiet shop. It was gap Harry only wanted to bridge more and more as he got to know Draco.

So Harry asked, with far more optimism than he felt, “Do you want to get a coffee?”

Draco nose wrinkled in disgust, “I don't particularly like coffee.”

“Tea then?” Harry said, desperation creeping into his voice.

Draco's brow furrowed, “I make my own generally. I have an apartment above the shop.” His gaze shifted over Harry's shoulder as the door opened and a family came in with two children close to Hogwarts age. He waved Harry out of the way impatiently and put on his shopkeeper smile, “Welcome to Magical Menagerie, can I help you find something in particular or are you just browsing?”

Harry slunk out of the way defeated and not particularly wanting to deal with any Potter fans if they recognized him. He slipped into the cat room, which seemed far more empty with two fewer occupants, and made his way over to a large purple tasseled pillow where Brynhildr was sleeping.

Brynhildr opened her eyes just a crack, twitching an ear towards Harry as he sat on the floor beside her.

“I suppose I'm here to say goodbye to you again,” Harry said, pulling his knees up and crossing his arms on top of them.

Brynhildr closed her eyes again.

Harry sighed and rested his chin on his arms, “He's... turning me down, right? He doesn't want to say outright or... maybe he's just being polite. I am a customer so he can't, well he can, but if he does it would be bad for him, for the shop.”

Harry frowned to himself.

Brynhildr lashed her tail in annoyance.

“He said it the first time I came in, something like, I have no awareness? Self-awareness.” He jerked his head up and roughly scrubbed his fingers through his hair.

Brynhildr startled at the sudden action, flattening her ears at him.

“Sorry,” Harry muttered and carefully pet her fluffy black fur until she relaxed again, stretching out her front legs and kneading the cushion absently.

Harry told himself softly, “Stop being a delusional wanker, Potter. He doesn't want anything to do with you, just leave it alone.”


	5. Chapter 5

Harry put the finishing touches on his report for the day, dropping it in his out-tray and watching it disappear with a faint snap. As he was gathering his auror robes a memo airplane gently drifted into his arm and waited patiently until he plucked it from the air.

Harry's brow furrowed as he read it, muttering to himself, “Visitor?” He crumpled the memo and vanished it, making his way down to the atrium.

Luna was standing next to the desk and waved excitedly when she saw Harry, “Hi!” She was wearing a thestral print dress, the thin dark figures stamped and stretched their wings on a vivid plum background.

“Luna?” Harry quirked a lopsided smile, “What's this all about?”

“Are you busy after work?” she asked.

“This _is_ after work,” Harry said.

“I know,” Luna said, “So yes or no?”

Harry opened his mouth to say yes and hesitated as suspicion crept through the back of his mind, “What do you need?”

“A friend. An animal friend to be precise,” Luna said.

“I thought so,” Harry sighed, “Who did you talk to?”

“I was staying over with Ginny.” Luna cocked her head slightly to the side, “Why? Is that important?”

Harry said warily, “Depends. What else did she tell you? Any secrets?”

Luna's brow furrowed faintly, “Secrets? No, I don't think so.”

Harry rubbed the back of his neck absently and then loosely slung his auror robes over his shoulders, “Alright-”

“Yay!” Luna hopped excitedly.

“-but I'm only going to show you and then leave.” Harry finished firmly. 

“Ok,” Luna nodded.

They flooed to Diagon alley and walked the rest of the way down the narrow winding cobblestone street to Magical Menagerie. 

“There's an apparition point right beside the shop, you know?” Harry said, shortening his stride to match Luna's.

Luna smiled and linked her hands behind her back, “Yes, but if we walk together the Prophet will take a picture and then they will run a story about us being madly in love and then I will run a counter story that you were, in fact, telling me all about the Ministry's moon frogs conspiracy.”

“I see,” Harry quirked a smile, “What is the moon frog conspiracy anyway?”

“Well, the Ministry wants to keep them all to themselves. Moon frogs are very beautiful,” Luna said idly.

Harry nodded and hummed in agreement, his mind wandering, though certainly not to a tall blond bloke with piercing grey eyes. “You know, the shop closes in an hour, we could have done this another time.”

Luna turned on her heel, walking backward, “We _could_ have but then Draco wouldn't see you in your auror uniform,” she reached up to fasten the top clasps and straighten the deep red fabric, “You look very handsome in it.”

Harry stopped dead, pulling Luna to a stop with him, “I thought you said Ginny didn't tell you any secrets!”

“Was it a secret?” Luna asked as she finished arranging his robe and stood back, brushing her hands off with satisfaction. “Ginny said you were very cute with Draco. I've always thought the two of you would be a good match.”

“He doesn't-” Harry shook his head, looking over at the corner of a nearby building, “He doesn't want anything to do with me, Luna. I tried asking him out to dinner, lunch, coffee and then tea and he turned me down every time.”

Luna linked her hands behind her back again, “Well, maybe you ought to take the tea to him then.” She spun on her heel and headed straight into a little cafe, Harry chasing helplessly behind her. At the counter, he only had enough time to hear her order three teas to go.

“ _Luna_ ,” Harry said somewhere between a plea and hopeless sigh.

Luna took his hand and gently pulled him along the counter to where they could pick up their teas once they were finished, “I think you might have to be more plain about your meaning, Harry.”

Harry sighed, “What?”

Luna leaned over the counter, her yellow blond hair tumbling over her shoulders, “Before you give up, you need to tell him-,” she cleared her throat theatrically, “-'I fancy you, would you go on a date with me?' That way you'll know for sure.”

Harry brow furrowed, “You think he didn't understand the first _three times_ I asked him out?”

Luna looked at him solemnly, “I visited Draco after the war a few times. He prefers to believe the safest things, the things that won't hurt him. He's been hurt a lot, so he's very careful.”

“Ok-” Harry took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut briefly, “Say he is doing what you said. Then the safest thing would be just a friendly meal wouldn't it? And in that case, if he isn't interested in friendship, he certainly isn't interested in- in anything _more_.”

“You can get hurt in friendships too,” Luna said as the teas arrived and she took one that smelled like cinnamon, leaving two for Harry, “I ordered one green tea and one black tea, that way Draco will surely like one of them.”

Harry picked up the two cups and followed along behind Luna a few store fronts down to Draco's shop and through the door and it's chiming bell. An older man was at the counter, a sack full of supplies for an enormous purple toad he had just bought. A mother and her daughter were looking into the tanks on the side of the room and whispering to one another about the creatures within.

Luna flitted about the room, getting into a deep conversation with the little girl about nargles. While Harry stood to the side holding two cups of tea, doing his best not to feel like a complete berk. Draco was wearing a white waistcoat with a green silk shirt, with a hair ribbon to match, that was just shy of Slytherin colours and looked stunning on him as usual. 

The old man finally finished his purchase and Harry edged his way up to the counter, setting the cups of tea down. 

“Potter, again,” Draco said, raising an eyebrow, “and what is this?” he gestured to the cups.

“Err... tea, one black, one green, I don't know which you prefer,” Harry said, sliding the two cups across the polished wooden surface.

Draco paused longer than was entirely comfortable, staring at the two cups like it was a test, before taking both cups, popping the plastic tops off them both and smelling them. He took the black tea with a quiet, “Thank you.”

Harry nodded and took the green tea, pressing the top back on and taking a tiny sip of the hot liquid, tasting of jasmine and honey.

“Another cat for Miss Lovegood?” Draco asked, absently tracing the top of his cup with on finger.

Harry shook his head, “No, the black and white crow.”

“Blanchefleur? Really?” Draco's eyebrows rose in surprise. “What about Blanchefleur makes you think they would be a good pet for Miss Lovegood?”

“I don't know really. Just a feeling,” Harry said, still completely unable to explain it himself.

“Hm.” Draco said shortly.

“You know you can call me Luna, right Draco?” Luna said as she came up to the counter.

“Yes, Miss Lovegood,” Draco said solemnly.

“ _Lu_ - _na._ ”

“As you wish, Miss Lovegood,” Draco's voice remained stoic but the corner of his mouth twitched up just slightly.

Luna smiled, “You're silly.”

The bell over the door rang and Draco leaned around them to call to the departing mother and daughter, “Thank you, do come again.” As soon as the door was shut Draco turned to the aviary, putting hand on the door, and waiting for Harry and Luna to join him before opening it.

Inside, a myriad of hoots and caws rose up to greet Draco, more than a few owls flying down to see him, Merlin included. Merlin's head perch was thwarted when Draco spotted him instantly, pointing a stern finger at the little owl and said, “Merlin. Do not.”

Merlin pulled up short and settled for perching on Draco's shoulder instead, looking entirely put out about the whole thing.

Harry closed the door as Luna slowly walked around the periphery of the room. Harry hadn't even pointed Blanchefleur out before Luna zeroed in on the strange pretty bird. 

Blanchefleur was on one of the higher branches of a hollowed out trunk and ruffled their feathers when Luna stopped to stare at them. They both cocked their heads at one another. Luna patted her dress, reaching into a large hand sewn pocket on the side and pulling out a blueberry that she offered up to Blanchefleur and asked, “Would you like a blueberry?”

Blanchefleur flew down a little closer, although still a bit out of reach so Luna had to stretch to give them the berry.

“Luna, why do you have blueberries in your pocket?” Harry asked.

“To have for later,” Luna said matter-of-factly, taking another berry out and holding it up for Blanchefleur. “What do you call them?” she asked.

“Blanchefleur,” Draco said.

Luna blinked thoughtfully, “Blanchefleur and Merlin... Do you name them all after characters from the Arthurian legend?”

“Just the birds,” Draco said looking pleased that someone had worked it out.

Luna turned half towards him, “And the rest?”

Draco nodded, “I use the Volsung saga for the cats. I don't tend to name the animals in the tanks.”

“I like it,” Luna said, her smile growing as Blanchefleur flew down to a lower perch. She spared them a moment of her smile, “I have to get to know Blanchefleur now, so you can wait outside.”

Harry suppressed a sigh.

Luna smiled knowingly and waved at him, “Go on, Harry. I know you can do it.”

Draco looked from Harry to Luna curiously, “Very well... I shall be outside. If Blanchefleur decides they likes you, you may buy them.”

Luna nodded.

Harry followed Draco back out the main shop. He suppressed a groan when he saw that Draco was wearing knee high boots made of a thin black leather that was practically molded to his calves. And his  _ trousers _ , they were just as tightly fitted, clinging to Draco's amazing arse like a second skin. Harry clutched the front of his auror robes together, suddenly, desperately grateful for their obscuring length. Harry looked desperately at the floor, thinking of paperwork and pickled beets to try and calm himself down.

“In consideration for the fact that you may  _ actually _ have some sort of bizarre talent,” Draco said, slowly making his way to his counter, sliding onto his tall stool and leaning over to rest his elbows on the counter top, looking every bit like a pinup model, “can you think of anyone that would be a match for Merlin?”

“Merlin?” Harry repeated feeling dazed and barely holding onto the conversation.

Draco raised an eyebrow, “Small annoying owl, has an obsession with landing on heads?”

Harry closed his eyes, “Right, right, Merlin...” he couldn't focus and shook his head to try and clear it.

“Well, never mind,” Draco said, “It was just an idea.”

Harry forced his eyes open, walking round the counter as he thought of anything other than trousers fit for a god. In fact, thinking about Merlin was quite good in that respect.

“There's actually something I've been meaning to speak to you about, Potter,” Draco said carefully, sitting up straight, tapping his finger nervously on the counter top without seeming to be fully aware that he was doing so, “I would appreciate if you would hear me out fully before speaking,” he sighed and pinned Harry down with his eyes, “You must understand, this is not easy for me.”

Harry felt a nervous thrill go up his spine, as his heart rate shot up alarmingly, “Right,” he said faintly.

“I...” Draco closed his eyes briefly, “would like to apologize.”

“Apologize?” Harry repeated faintly.

He got a brief glare for his interruption. Draco continued, “Yes. For saying you lacked self-awareness the first time you came to the store. It was not my intention to chastise you nor evoke any sort of reparations on your part.”

Harry stared at him blankly, his last traces of hope shriveling at the bottom of his gut into something that felt like a lead weight.

Draco, apparently interpreting his look for lack of understanding, simplified, “My shop wasn't doing well, and while I appreciate the business brought by you and yours, do not think I-” he hesitated, struggling for the right words, “-I... I  _ do _ appreciate it but you don't  _ have _ to keep doing it, is all,” he finished with a faint flush.

“Your shop wasn't doing well?” Harry said feeling numb.

Draco's brow furrowed, “Obviously. Before you started coming, I was getting maybe two customers a day and one would turn around and leave as soon as they recognized me.” His voice began rising in growing anger, “What did you think when you came into an empty shop? Was this just an elaborate prank? Show all your little minions how far the death-eater has fallen?”

Harry took a step back like he had been slapped. “Oh fuck you,” he breathed in dismay. He clenched his jaw, his palms itching to curl into fists and solve his frustration and disappointment all in one go. He shook his head roughly and took another step backward, “I  _ really _ must lack self-awareness. But you,  _ you _ take the cake.”

Draco snarled, “I do not-!”

“You do!” Harry snapped back, “And I did it because I wanted to! I did it-” his words faltered as he remembered he had mainly done it because he was being smitten moron with well-meaning but delusional friends. He turned on his heel and stormed to the door, stopping with his hand on the handle, “Tell Luna I had to go,” he said briefly, his voice rougher than he would have liked, “Say goodbye to Brynhildr for me.” He opened the door and was halfway out when one last thing occurred to him. He glanced back and the confused expression on Draco's face almost pulled him back in, almost. 

Harry told him, “I think Pansy might like Merlin.” 

He pulled the door shut, stepping away with a deep breath, the sound of the bell still chiming in his ear.


	6. Chapter 6

The air was almost hazy with moisture, yellow light filtered through the old leaded glass and all around Harry was green and smelled like damp soil. 

“I've almost finished,” Neville said carefully maneuvering a floating plant the size of a bear to an isolated corner of the greenhouses. As the heavy ceramic pot bumped against the ground the curling branches writhed, grasping out at the open air. “There.” Neville said with satisfaction, “Won't be causing any more trouble over here.”

“What is it?” Harry asked, watching the plant stop moving and go back to looking as harmless as any other plant.

Neville carefully roped the plant off and hung a few warning signs that would inevitably be ignored by some student who thought they knew better, “Stranglevine, from the south american rainforests. I was lucky enough to secure a sample from a research team that just returned. They're planning a return trip next year and I'm hoping to join them over the summer hols,” he grinned excitedly.

Harry echoed his smile and asked, “So it... strangles things?”

Neville nodded, “The plant photosynthesizes like a normal plant but it also grabs and strangles anything that walks too close to it, a bit like a snake does. The current hypothesis is that because the soil is so poor where it grows that it creates its own fertilizer with what it catches. I'm going to have the sixth years grow cuttings and experiment with different soil types and additives to see what we can learn about it. ”

“So the first year of being the Herbology Professor went all right, you think?” Harry asked.

Neville scrunched his nose, “Oh, come off it. You've heard all the stories at pub nights; it was a mess. I had no idea what I was doing half the time and the other half Professor Sprout had to come rescue my arse.”

“So pretty well then,” Harry said.

Neville rolled his eyes and Harry laughed.

“Here's a question for you then,” Neville said, pulling his gloves off and chucking them inexpertly at Harry's head, “What's with the pet shop thing?”

Harry grimaced, his good humor draining out of him like a pulled plug, “Who'd you talk to? Ginny? Luna? I suppose you want a perfect pet as well now? Or maybe just to meddle?”

Neville's brow pinched, “What? There was an article in the Prophet, about a week ago or so?”

“An article?” Harry asked, feeling some of the tension leaving his shoulders.

Neville nodded, “All about the pet craze among the _Potter Gang_ , their words not mine, and there was a picture of Ron leaving the shop with a basket and another of Ginny and some of her teammates around a broom with a little cat balanced on the bristles.”

Harry shrugged vaguely, “I don't read the Prophet. Sounds almost like real reporting, for them anyway.”

“That means you've been to Malfoy's shop?” Neville said uncertainly.

Harry wanted to groan, “Yeah.”

“Do you think he's alright now?” Neville asked toying the leaves on a small purplish plant that turned an electric blue where his fingers had been, “This year he's come up and helped out with Hagrid's classes and he seems...” his nose scrunched, “Dunno. He's very patient and careful. He speaks to everyone very formally. Does he do that with you?”

Neville glanced at Harry but went on without waiting for an answer, “He calls Hagrid, Professor Hagrid and me Professor Longbottom. I even asked him to just call me Neville but it's either Professor or Mister, if classes are out.”

“You talk to him outside of classes? _You_ talk to him?” Harry asked despite himself.

“Not at first, but he talks to animals and the kids the same way he talks to adults and it's... funny, I guess. It's hard to be angry at someone who will look a niffler in the eye and tell it,” Neville put on a cheesy posh voice, _“kindly refrain from such impulsive behavior_.”

Harry grinned, “And then the niffler looked guilty?”

Neville laughed, “Yeah! It's uncanny really.”

“What's all this about then?” Harry asked, leaning his hip against one of the work tables.

Neville shrugged, “I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going Lockhart thinking he was alright. There aren't any other teachers my age. I was thinking I might befriend him since he's here so often.”

“Going Lockhart?” Harry raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, the students say that all the time now.” Neville sighed, “McGonagall wants us to crack down on it,” he sniffed and muttered, “she never had to endure him as a teacher.”

Harry laughed.

“Do you want to grab dinner, Thai or Korean, Indian?” Neville asked. 

“So not here at Hogwarts?” Harry said.

Neville wrinkled his nose, “Nothing against the food here or Hogsmead but sometimes I just want something different.”

“You mean so spicy you kill your taste buds and burp lava for the next three days,” Harry said, pushing off the table and following Neville out of the greenhouses and across the grounds so they could apparate out.

Neville looked at him blankly, “Well, I mean, if you can't handle it-”

“Nope. Not a chance,” Harry laughed, “I've fallen for that one before, never again.” 

Neville shrugged, “Do you think Ron or Hermione or Ginny would want to come?”

“Ron's on a stakeout, Hermione always works late when she doesn't have Ron to come home to and Ginny is-” Harry frowned to himself, “I don't know what her training schedule's like.”

“Too late to send an owl anyway,” Neville said.

They apparated to Diagon alley and as soon as Harry landed and stepped out of the designated apparition point he had a feeling of inevitable doom.

“At least I made it almost two weeks this time,” he muttered to himself.

“Made what almost two weeks?” Neville asked, “Trying to give up apparating?”

“That's it,” Harry said flatly, “Walked to Hogwarts, only took me a month.”

“Shove off,” Neville said with a laugh, elbowing Harry lightly.

As they walked down the street Harry very deliberately didn't look ahead to the Magical Menagerie shop. He quite successfully managed to pay enough attention to Neville to hold a conversation about what restaurant to go to.

And when Neville spotted Magical Menagerie and said, “What do you think about asking Malfoy to join us? It's about closing time now.”

Harry voice only wobbled a little when he said, “Yeah, sure.”

He knew he could have said no and Neville would have gone along with it but it didn't seem like the right thing to do. If nothing else, the way things were going, it seemed inevitable that Draco would end up dragged into his friend group, either by Neville or Luna. Harry could learn to accept a distant, infrequent sort of friendship. Eventually the infatuation would pass. It would only take- he thought back to his past crushes and grimaced- a year or two... or three. 

Harry sighed, slipping into the shop behind Neville and stayed at the back wall. The shop was fairly full, with three people in line to the counter and a few others scattered around, still browsing in the last twenty minutes or so before the shop closed. Neville started looking around, peeking into tanks with interest.

Draco was smiling at the older woman at the counter. Harry realized he was starting to stare and forced his gaze away. On the side of the counter was Brynhildr who seemed to sense him watching her and sat up, scanning the room in an unhurried way. She blinked when she finally settled on Harry, her ears flicking forward briefly. She glanced at Draco once and then jumped down, winding through the crowd over to Harry.

Harry obligingly slid down the wall, squatting on his heels and offering his hand for Brynhildr to sniff. She did so and gave him a decidedly disapproving look.

“Sorry I didn't say goodbye last time I here, or hello for that matter,” Harry told her, wondering if talking to animals like people was the sort of thing that just rubbed off on you. 

Brynhildr accepted his apology by butting her head against his hand and letting Harry scratch her chin.

The crowds were starting to thin but the store was still very full. Neville came over and Harry pushed himself up.

“He seems busy,” Neville said, “Maybe another day?”

Harry nodded, trying not to feel like a coward as relief flooded through him.

They stopped by the door as it was flung open, a young woman with short black hair stepping inside on sharp high heel boots. She pulled off a pair of large sunglasses with the panache of a rich heiress which, Harry supposed, she was. 

Harry heard a familiar hoot as Merlin hopped from Pansy Parkinson's shoulder and flew across the shop to land on Draco's head. The expression of absolute satisfaction on both Pansy and Merlin was identical and entirely too smug.

“Pansy, I told you not to bring him in here with you,” Draco chastised as the last customer left the counter and shouldered their way through the door. He looked up, dislodging Merlin and trying to wave him off, “I thought I was free of your menace.”

Merlin flew back to Pansy, landing on her shoulder and huddled into a sulky glower. 

Pansy pouted and brushed her fingers over Merlin's ruffled feathers, “Oh, don't be like that, Draco. He is _so_ fond of you. I wouldn't be so cruel as to break his heart and make him wait outside.”

“You simply enjoy tor-” Draco's words broke off as Harry, who had been doing his best to hide behind Neville and the open door, was finally spotted.

Pansy raised her eyebrows, slowly turning to follow Draco's gaze. She stepped round Neville to get a better look and gasped, “ _Potter_!”

Before he could even react Pansy's hand darted out and wrapped around his wrist as if to keep him from escaping. There was something strangely desperate in her expression that kept him from immediately pulling away.

Pansy spoke so quickly her words almost bled into one another, “When you offered to take Draco to dinner, was that meant to be a date?”

Harry hesitated. The shop was mostly empty now but he still felt as if the whole world was staring at him. 

Pansy's grip tightened on his wrist, “I _need_ to know. Please, Potter.”

“Yeah, so?” Harry answered quietly so likely only Pansy and Neville would hear.

Pansy drew in a sharp breath, her eyes shining, “And the Indian place, another date?”

He nodded.

“And the offer of tea?” she asked, her voice dropping.

Harry groaned and nodded again.

“I knew it,” Pansy breathed.

Her grip loosened and just as suddenly, Harry wasn't in a mood to eat. He was in a mood to go home, drink and bed, not necessarily in that order. 

As he stepped around them and outside once more he heard Pansy behind him shout, “I _fucking_ knew it!”

Harry took a deep breath and hurried up the street, tucking his chin against his chest. He had hardly made it five yards when he heard the shop door slam open and paused to look over his shoulder and see Pansy storming after him, dragging Draco after her with fury lighting her face. She caught Harry's sleeve and held on, linking them all together.

Pansy spun round to Draco whose arm she held in a death grip, “You are the stupidest man I have ever met, Draco Malfoy. Deal with this. Right. Now.” She narrowed her eyes and said icily, “ _Properly_.” then jerked Draco forward as she let them both go and stepped back out of the way. Her glare swept the late evening crowd and anyone who had stopped to see what was on suddenly had somewhere to be.

Harry shifted his weight uncomfortably and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Draco opened his mouth but nothing came out. He opened his hands as if imploring or grasping after something. “...I-” he broke off a pink flush staining his cheeks.

Harry watched in fascination as the blush spread, filling Draco's cheeks and creeping down his neck and up into his hair until he was entirely pink with embarrassment. 

Draco couldn't look Harry in the eye and ended up looking at his hands, tugging at his own fingertips. “...I didn't know- I-” he broke off and roughly cleared his throat. “Might we-” he took a deep breath, “might we talk somewhere more private?”

“Alright,” Harry said with a wary nod.

They went back to the shop which Pansy cleared out with a shouted _Shop's closed!_ that would have put a harpy to shame.

Neville hesitated, glancing between Harry and Draco, “You'll be alright?”

“They'll be fine,” Pansy said quickly, wrapping her arm around Neville's arm and tugging him to the door, “While they're sorting this out you can take me to dinner.”

Harry caught Neville's eye and managed a halfhearted smile, “Sorry about this, some other time?”

“Yeah, sure,” Neville said still a little baffled, letting Pansy guide him outside and asking her, “Been a while. Do you like spicy food?”

Pansy's smile was positively predatory as she pulled the door shut behind them.

Harry and Draco were left alone and the shop seemed unusually quiet.

“Longbottom's fucked,” Draco said flatly.

Harry snorted, cracking a smile, “It's Parkinson that has no idea what she's in for.”

They glanced at one another and the silence began to draw out again.

Harry looked down at his scuffed trainers and rocked back on his heels, “...So you didn't know I was asking you out?”

“Of course not!” Draco snapped.

Harry looked up in surprise and found Draco pacing back and forth, looking irritated and no longer pink.

“That's not how the world works!” Draco gestured broadly with his hands as he walked, “This isn't some romance novel where the main character's crush just reappears in their life and sweeps them off their feet!”

Harry's eyebrows rose. _Crush_?

“Completely unrealistic! The logical conclusion is banal: here to buy a pet, here to mock me, here to pity me, here to save me,” Draco spun on his heel, pointing at Harry, “those are far more likely, far more- less- not _silly_.”

The amount of absolute disdain Draco managed to put into the word _silly_ had Harry fighting down laughter. He ducked his head and cleared his throat but didn't quite manage to hide his expression.

“What are you grinning about?” Draco said, starting to get truly angry, “It was a joke, wasn't it?! An elaborate fucking scheme to get me back for- for everything!”

Harry rubbed the back of his neck. It seemed Luna was right about everything, as she so often was. “Draco,” Harry said trying, and failing miserably, to interrupt.

“For the very beginning, I suspected but of all people-” The angry tirade was quickly devolving and Draco had to turn away as his voice began to break with hints of despair, “I never thought you would-”

Harry reached out and put his hand on Draco's arm, “ _Draco_.”

He spun around, mouth open and hand outstretched to jab his finger at Harry.

Harry caught Draco's wrist with one hand and covered his mouth with the other. “Shut up for a second, alright?”

Harry couldn't imagine Draco looking more outraged if he had slapped him. He pulled his hand away, more out a fear of being bitten than any hope Draco would actually let him speak. 

But he did. Only pulling his hand free and crossing his arms defensively as he glared at Harry.

“Right.” Harry took a deep breath and said, as clearly as he could manage, “I fancy you, will you go on a date with me?”

Draco brow furrowed as he frowned, tightening his arms around himself and looking away but not quite hiding the blush of pink on the tops of his cheeks.

Harry went on, “It's not a trick or a joke. It's not pity or trying to save you. I just think you're fit and interesting and I want to get to know you better.”

Draco glanced over at Harry, reluctantly loosening his arms. “You're dreadful. Is this how you sweep me off my feet?”

“I-” Harry's expression was torn between confusion and amusement, “I'm fairly certain you said this isn't a romance novel?”

Draco narrowed his eyes.

Harry laughed, “Alright, how about you sweep me off my feet and then I'll give it a try?”

“This is not how it's supposed to go,” Draco sighed as he stepped closer. He slid a hand that only trembled very slightly around Harry's back. His other hand slid over Harry's cheek, tilting his head up slightly and kissing him very gently. He bit his lip nervously as he pulled back, slowly flushing bright pink again, “Like that.”

Harry smiled, “Oh, I see. So,” He curled his fingers around Draco's on his cheek, slipping his other hand up Draco's arm, “like this?” He leaned up and kissed Draco hungrily until he was shaking and gasped when Harry pulled back. “How'd I do?”

“Tolerably,” Draco said, his voice rough. He cleared his throat and lifted his chin imperiously.

Harry grinned, “Should I try again? I certain I can do better this time.”

“I suppose,” Draco said, licking his lips.

Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's shoulders and kissed him again, taking the opportunity to slip his fingers into Draco's hair. It felt like cool silk against his skin and he sighed against Draco's mouth. He pulled the ribbon free and buried his hands in the loose curling strands.

“I take it you like my hair?” Draco said kissing the corner of Harry's mouth.

“Fuck yes,” Harry said breathlessly.

Draco smirked faintly, “Good to know.”

“Don't hold it against me.”

The smirk grew, “That's my prerogative.” 

Harry's forehead dropped to Draco's shoulder as he laughed. He breathed in, his nose filled with the scent of something sweet and herbal. When he looked up, Draco was looking at him with such a fragile unguarded expression Harry thought the tight thundering ache that exploded in his chest might kill him. It wouldn't have been a bad way to go. Except not being able to kiss him again.

Draco pursed his lips anxiously, his eyes searching Harry's expression, “What are you grinning about, Potter?” he asked quietly.

“You're gorgeous,” Harry answered quickly before Draco could jump to the worst possible conclusion.

Draco wrinkled his nose and tried to look annoyed.

“So will you go on a date with me?” Harry asked.

Draco frowned slightly, “You're ruining the moment.”

“It's important,” Harry said raising his eyebrows.

Draco sighed, rolling his eyes slightly, “Fine.”

“As in-?” Harry pushed.

“As in _yes_ , Potter.”


	7. Epilogue

The bell over the door jingled as Harry stepped inside Magical Menagerie, “I got your owl,” He called as he pushed the door shut. Brynhildr jumped down from the counter to sniff Harry's trousers and then rub against his legs with a loud welcoming purr.

“Took you long enough,” Draco said, taking his reading glasses off and sliding them into his waistcoat pocket. He closed the book in front of him. It was glamoured to look like an old leather bound tome but was in all likelihood one of many trashy romance novels Pansy gave him regularly after she had finished with them.

Harry rolled his eyes and gestured to his auror uniform, “I came as soon as I got off work.”

“Mmhmm,” Draco said appreciatively, raking his eyes over Harry.

Harry flushed, glad the shop was closed for the day, “What's the rush?” He knelt down to scratch Brynhildr behind the ears.

Draco turned to the back corner of the shop where a small, steep staircase led upstairs to Draco's personal apartment, “Pansy! He's here!”

There was the briefest of pauses followed by a thump and a string of swearing mixed in with a clatter that sounded like an animal. Brynhildr puffed and bolted back behind the counter. The clatter charged down the stairs and was sounding more and more like a _dog_ sort of clatter.

The thought had barely passed through Harry's mind when a medium sized terrier exploded down the stairs and beelined straight for him, jumping up to put their paws on Harry's shoulders and press their face to Harry's neck with a happy whine. The dog's stub of a tail whirred back and forth with excitement. 

Harry slid a hesitant hand down the dog's rough wire haired coat that might have been white, grey, brown or simply filthy, and was rewarded with a face full of slobbery kisses. Harry lost his balance and sat heavily on the floor, the dog coming with him and using the opportunity to thoroughly sniff Harry's hair.

Pansy stomped down the stairs, her hair sticking up and holding her arm. Merlin was perched on her head looking entirely put out about the whole situation. 

Pansy pointed at the dog threateningly, “It's a good thing Potter likes you mutt because otherwise you would have been in a sack in the river-”

“ _No._ No such thing would have happened,” Draco said, ice coating his words. “If Harry doesn't like him, I will find another home for him.”

Pansy glared at him, her nose scrunching, “Of course he likes the dog.” She held out her hand and tsked, “I broke a nail.”

“Where's he from?” Harry asked, scratching the dog's ears.

Draco had his elbows propped on the counter, leaning over to watch Harry with a pleased little smile, “He's been wandering around the Diagon and Knockturn alley for about a week. I asked around about an owner but it seems like he was abandoned and Pansy thought he was the perfect match for you.”

“I did say so when I first showed him to you,” Pansy examined her nails with a frown, “I could tell they'd be a perfect together because they're both an utter mess.”

Harry laughed.

Draco sighed, “He's fairly young, still has most of his baby teeth. He looks like a crup-schnauzer mix but I can't say for sure, especially with the docked tail.”

The dog stared up at Harry with large brown eyes and Harry knew he was a goner, “He _is_ perfect.”

“What are you going to call him?” Pansy asked.

Harry stared at the little dog, “Erm, Biscuit?”

Pansy snorted.

Draco raised an eyebrow, “Really Potter.”

Harry shook his head with a smile, “...Padfoot maybe.” His smile grew, “Yeah, I like that. I think Sirius would've liked you too.”

Padfoot licked Harry's chin and wagged his little stump tail.

“I don't mind if he comes into the shop with you,” Draco said, “He's afraid of the cats and doesn't care about the birds _but_ he needs a bath.”

“Oh. Can I give him one here?” Harry asked pointing up at Draco's apartment which had an amazing clawfoot tub.

Draco grimaced, “Fuck no.”

Pansy rolled her eyes, “You have no imagination Draco.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Draco said defensively.

Pansy smirked and asked Harry without looking over, “Potter, what are you wearing under that uniform?”

Harry's brow furrowed, “A tee shirt?”

“Colour?” Pansy asked.

“White? -ish. What's this-?”

Pansy held up a quelling finger, her eyes still locked on Draco as she said slowly, “Your boyfriend, his white tee-shirt soaked with water, transparent where it's clinging to his skin, soap running down his arms, caught in his damp hair-”

“You read too many romance novels,” Harry said shaking his head. 

Pansy went on without missing a beat, “And afterward you might need to clean _him_ up.” She raised one eyebrow meaningfully.

Harry sighed. On one hand, it was what he wanted and it would be fun. On the other, Draco would inevitably complain when it wasn't right compared to whatever fantasy Pansy had now stewed up in his mind.

Draco pointed to the shelf by Harry's shoulder, “Dogwash potion, ten sickles.”

“You're going to charge him?” Pansy said aghast.

Draco sniffed, “This isn't a charity.”

“Oh the fuck it's not. You do it for fun and donate all your profits to animal rescues. Sounds like a charity to me.”

Draco gave her a look, “Don't you have anything better to do?”

Pansy glared at him, “In fact I do. I found a new hot sauce. The saleswoman said it could melt lead. I doubt it. The last bottle I found, Longbottom and I went through the whole thing and barely broke a sweat.”

Draco shook his head.

Harry had to agree. Pansy and Neville had ended up cultivating the weirdest friendship he could have possibly imagined. He grabbed a bottle of _Goodpup's Dogwash Potion, Clean and Critter Free, Guaranteed_ , and threw a galleon on the counter.

“You're leaving, Pansy. Remember?” Draco said again.

She rolled her eyes and sauntered to the door with a prim, “You're _welcome_.”

Draco waved her off impatiently, “Thank you very much, Pansy, now kindly fuck off.” As soon as the door was shut, Draco spelled it locked and lead the way to the stairs, crooking a beckoning finger with a devilish gleam in his eye, “Come along Harry.”


End file.
